🔗 Share this article

In today's Britain, public demonstration is no longer a fundamental right. Instead, it has become a conditional permission that authorities grant or withhold as they see fit. This represents the implication of new regulations that the current government is putting forward, which would determine when and where protests can occur, with possible prison sentences for those who disobey these restrictions.

Gradual Weakening of Democratic Rights

Previous administrations had already weakened this essential right: the previous Tory administration had given law enforcement extensive additional powers, which international human rights organizations had condemned as "serious and unjustified restrictions" on civil liberties. Taken together, these incremental attacks on freedom have practically eliminated the historically earned right to public demonstration.

Exploiting Atrocity to Justify Suppression

The latest restrictive measures are being justified by referring to last week's terrible anti-Jewish attack on a British Islamic center. There should be widespread consensus that the security of Jewish communities in Britain must be protected. However, employing this horrific incident as a pretext to stifle dissent is not only unrelated to that responsibility but perverts it.

"If you can't draw the line at genocide, you probably can't draw the line at democracy," observed a prominent American author, whose words that applies equally for the present administration.

Historical Perspective of Demonstration

Consider Britain's rich history of protest and direct action against racial discrimination and authoritarianism, from the historic 1936 Cable Street confrontation to postwar Jewish anti-fascist movements and the 1970s mobilizations against the far-right organization. Many of these historical demonstrators were branded as radicals in their time, even while they were fighting for the rights of marginalized groups.

Current Reality

In the current complicated landscape, here's what's actually occurring: Israel – a sovereign nation – is committing acts that international bodies have described as genocide. Its military actions have prompted the global justice body to issue arrest warrants against Israel's prime minister and his ex-military leader.

International public opinion has changed significantly against Israel's military campaign. In Britain, a large percentage of the public believe Israel has probably committed international law violations. Most people would support a total prohibition on weapons exports to the state, and approve the arrest of the Israeli leader.

Suppressing Opposition

Having essentially lost the argument, pro-Israel advocates are now seizing on a despicable anti-Jewish attack to attempt to silence a popular campaign against a moral catastrophe. The British government appears to be included in this attempt. Ministers have not enacted extensive restrictions on Israel and have allowed weapon shipments to proceed.

People who are protesting against the erasure of Gaza have been labeled as dangerous radicals. Yet there's a important factor why there hasn't been a broader crackdown on these protesters until now: extremely few protesters have made truly offensive statements about Jewish people, giving police authorities little justification to intervene.

Dangerous Conflation

Equating Jewish identity with the actions of the Israeli state is not only manipulative but also dangerous. The standard interpretation of antisemitism, adopted by the British government and numerous institutions, has been rightly questioned for potentially restricting legitimate criticism of Israel. However, there should be universal agreement about one of its key examples: that "holding Jewish people collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel" constitutes antisemitism.

Escalating Restrictions

This is why we've reached a point where law enforcement can suggest that demonstrations opposing Israel's actions should be called off because they might "accidentally or deliberately" support antisemitism. Similarly, political figures have declared that acknowledgment of Palestine as a nation has made political parties "complicit" in supposed mistreatment experienced by Jewish communities.

Inconsistent Treatment

On the very day as the religious center assault, the Israeli military killed numerous of Palestinian civilians in Gaza – increasing the horrific toll from 24 months of daily atrocities that have taken tens of thousands of lives. British politicians and media outlets have hardly hidden the minimal importance they attach to Palestinian life. This represents one of the most brazen expressions of racism in our time.

Crossing Thresholds

Our government has already passed a concerning boundary by banning a specific activist group, a peaceful, anti-genocide direct action organization. Thousands of British demonstrators have been arrested, primarily for carrying placards opposing mass killing and supporting the proscribed group. Many of those arrested are pensioners; among them a former clergyman and the child of a Holocaust survivor.

International Parallels

It's easy to see where this path leads. In the United States, government officials helped vilify pro-Palestinian protests: a ex-political leader suggested that some were "connected to" foreign governments, while the current president described such protests as anti-Jewish. In taking these actions, they helped legitimize the authoritarian crackdown on such demonstrations – and on free speech in general.

Future Concerns

If a hard-right government comes to power, it would be granted sweeping powers to control opposition. What might a Reform government do with this repressive toolkit? Our ancestors struggled, endured hardship and died to secure our liberties. We may eventually rue how casually we permitted them to be eroded.